It can take me a week to finish a clamshell of baby spinach but I I figured 2 bunches of regular spinach would be 2 lbs. After prepping and removing the stems from both bunches, I barely had a pound of spinach.

Still eager to make this dish, I added our emergency package of frozen spinach (the convenience of it being de-stemmed was not lost on me) and while I still didn’t have enough spinach for the recipe, it was certainly plenty of spinach!

After cooking and baking the spinach, the volume decreases and allows you to eat a ton of spinach in a sitting. Fresh dill would be ideal but I had no dill (and I don’t even think my dill seeds worked in the garden), so I opted for dried dill weed and dill seeds for its oomph of flavour. Next time, I might add some fresh lemon juice to balance out the spinach flavours, too.

The highlight of the dish is actually the creamy tofu ricotta, a bit heavy on the garlic, but delicious with a sprinkle of paprika and drizzled with olive oil.

This is a Turkish inspired dish from Peace & Parsnips, a vegan cookbook from Lee Watson. Lee blogs at the Beach House Kitchen and hails from a small rural area in Northern Wales. The British and European flavours (along with the gorgeous photos!) were a welcome change from the cookbook.

The cookbook was released earlier in Europe, but the American edition, complete with cups instead of grams, was only recently available. Packed with vegetables, the recipes are exciting and unique. The recipes are definitely a step up from my day-to-day cooking. A bit more complex, they would be nice for a weekend meal if I have some more time. True to its title,Peace & Parsnips, I enjoyed seeing ingredients like parsnips, turnips, dill and watercress (ok, maybe not watercress, I don’t really like it) that don’t get featured as much in American books.

Many of the recipes tempt me, and with a whole chapter devoted to curries, how could one complain? With 200 recipes, there are plenty to choose from.

Thankfully, the publisher allowed me to giveaway the cookbook to a reader living in Canada or the United States. To be entered in the random draw for the book, please leave a comment below telling me about something positive in your life. The winner will be selected at random on June 22, 2016. Good luck!

Author’s note: Turkish food is stunning – I love the eclectic mix of influences. This delightful Turkish dish may seem heavy on the spinach, but you know what it’s like – it just disappears into a pile of gorgeous green. You can use any suitable greens here – kale works beautifully, beet leaves are brilliant, and even the greener shades of thinly sliced cabbage will do. This dish can easily be made into a bigger plate by adding sliced cooked potatoes and cherry tomatoes to the spinach. You will have better results if you make the tofu ricotta a day ahead and keep it in the fridge.

THE BITS

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

½ teaspoon ground allspice

2¼ pounds (1kg) spinach

2 large pinches of freshly grated nutmeg

a big handful of fresh dill

a good pinch of salt

For the tofu ricotta

1½ pounds (700g) firm tofu, pressed

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes

1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano

For the topping

a good pinch of sweet paprika

olive oil, for drizzling

1. Put the oil and garlic into the largest pan you have, on medium heat, and fry for a minute. Then add the allspice and fry for a moment, stirring constantly. Add the spinach in big fistfuls and stir to help it to wilt. You will need to do this in batches; covering the pan helps a lot. Once all of the spinach has wilted down, stir in the nutmeg and dill with a pinch of salt and cook uncovered until most of the liquid has disappeared. Remove from the heat and cover the pan.

2. Place the ingredients for the tofu ricotta in a blender and blitz until smooth.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. Spread out the spinach in a medium baking dish and press it into the corners to make a solid layer. Top with the tofu ricotta, spreading it in a thick layer until it meets the edges. Sprinkle with the paprika and drizzle some olive oil on top, then place in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until the tofu is browned.

Note: I was given a copy of the cookbook from the publisher. I was under no obligation to share a review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Contest Rules: No purchase necessary. Contest period begins Saturday, June 11 2016 and ends Wednesday, June 22, 2016. For American and Canadian residents only. Approximate retail value US$25. Enter by writing a comment answering the prompt for a chance to win. Entrants must supply a valid email address. Winners will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours.

Related

One positive thing in my life is my dogs. My husband and I share our lives with 4 dogs and they truly are our children. Three of them are “medically complex” and keep us on our toes but I would do anything for them.

I have so many positives in my life , but what’s really taking over my mind matter lately is the fact that I am going to be a grandma for the first time …. a very young grandma 🙂 …. in the next four weeks.. and I can’t wait to meet him.
Keep up the great work , Janet!

After a year of hiding away inside myself, I’m finally coming back out into the world thanks to my best friend (whom I’ve avoided while in hiding) who wouldn’t take it anymore and pulled me up by my bootstraps! Thanks Lise! I love you!

I’ve not tried a tofu ricotta yet, but this looks like the perfect reason to try it! There are too many positives to choose from, but today I’ll focus on the fact that I’m about to go for a run. I’m healthy enough to run, I might be able to run 4 miles and still feel good, and my head space is finally good with the fact that I don’t have to keep up with anyone. All positives today!

Thank you for posting this recipe, and for hosting the giveaway. Cookbook looks intriguing! A strong positive in my life right now is my sons. Having five boys can be challenging sometimes, but it is also very rewarding. Going hiking, playing board games, hanging out in the kitchen…it’s all good. Lately, I’ve been writing 5-15 minute skits/plays for the boys to act. We’ve performed for local churches half a dozen times now, and the boys are loving it. It is deeply rewarding to be an integral part of their lives. And LOTS of cooking, so that cookbook looks like a great way to encourage diverse vegetable consumption…

I used to buy 2.5 lb bags of spinach from the farmer’s market in ATL… it is a LOT! This looks amazing. I also used to make tofu ricotta. Vegas leaves town next week – perfect opportunity to bring back the tofu! 🙂

There’s a lot to be positive about right now. My first grandchild (a girl!) will be born around September 2nd. I weigh less than 200 pounds for the first time in more than 15 years!!! And finally, I will have surgery next week to correct a hiatal hernia that has plagued me for 25 years.

Tons of greens, lots of protein, nice flavors: this dish sounds fantastic! The other recipes you’ve mentioned from that book sound great too.
One very positive thing in my life right now is the support I get from my family, and the support I can give them, too. It makes me happy to see it going both ways at the same time.

Something positive in my life is the tremendous amount of help I’ve received from my cousin. She’s been repainting my house, removed my carpet, installed two new appliances, a new food disposal, a new faucet, and fixed a few things around my house. All without me asking! She came over to visit and knew I’d been injured for sometime. As a result I wasn’t able to do some much needed repairs. It’s like having a new lease on life and I’m so excited about it even today, 2 months later. And she’s not done.

Janet – This is the best giveaway question! I just love reading about all the positive things everyone posted. Mine: I am on a one-year sabbatical… which gives me lots of time to try new things and new recipes 🙂

My hubby and I are doing a lot of gardening and canning this year. It has been a great way to spend time together. I am so happy to see all the veggies we have grown so far. It definitely makes me happy and helps me stay positive.

I’ve got an emergency package of spinach in my freezer at all times, too. It’s one of those vegetables that is just as useful frozen as fresh. As for positive things, I spent part of the morning in the park with my dog and a photographer – I won a photo shoot for her, along with a bag of goodies from a local organic food purveyor. Can’t wait to see the photos!

What a cool vegan cookbook! I can’t believe all the amazing and new-to-me recipes and ingredients contained in one book, and it’s all vegan?? This recipe looks delicious. I’d love to try it with kale like the cookbook author offers as a suggestion. I’m more of a raw spinach kind of gal.

Positives from my life right now: I’m working on recipes I love and I’m excited about, the weather is beautiful, and my little family is excited for the future. So many positive things to be thankful for!

I just celebrated my 75th birthday, and I bought beautiful vegetables at my local farmers’ market today. I think both of those things are quite positive. The next few days will include zucchinis, beets, baby bok choy, and butter lettuce. How lovely! Every new vegan recipe is a bonus.